Here's my transcription of another version of the song, fairly similar to the versions provided by GUEST,Q and airymouse above. This version was performed by Will Starks in Clarksdale, Mississippi on August 9th, 1942. Listen here

My name is Sam the bum
And I came from over town
I've traveled this wide world all over
I've traveled this world around
Had my ups and downs through life
In better days I've saw
But I never knew what misery was
Til I came to Arkansas

In the year of of '92
In the merry month of June
Landed into Hot Springs
On a sultry afternoon
[Up] stepped a walking skeleton
And handed me his paw
Invited me to his hotel
The best in Arkansas

I followed my companion
Unto his dwelling place
And his poverty, it provided
With a small, calm fate
His bread, it was corn dodgers
His beef I could not chaw
And that's the kind of hash they had
In the State of Arkansas

I started out the next evening
To take the early train
And he said "You'd better wait for me
I have some land to clean
I'll pay you fifty cents a day
Your washing, board, and all
And you'll find you'll be a different man
When you leave Arkansas"

I worked six months for the son-of-a-gun
Jess Hollins was his name
He's six foot seven in his stocking feet
He was taller than any crane
Had his hair all down in ring-uns*
[Over] his long and ashen** jaw
And photographs of all the gents
That was raised in Arkansas

I read the daily paper
Until my eyes got sore
I saw they wanted ten thousand men
In the state of Arkansas

His bread was corn dodgers
Hard as any rock
My teeth begin to loosen
And my knees begin to knock
And I got so thin offa sassafras tea
I could hide behind a straw
Indeed I was a different man
When I left Arkansas

And if ever I see that land again
I'll hand to you my paw
It will be through a telescope
From my home to Arkansas

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Interviewer: Where'd you learn that one, Will?
Will Starks: I learned that from a fellow, come down to penn. in 27, and his name was Alf Darley, a colored fellow, plays on his banjo.
I: Was he from Arkansas?
WS: He lived in Memphis, he just heard the song in Hot Springs
I: Did you ever sing it for somebody from Arkansas?
WS: Yes, sir.
I: How'd they think of it?
WS: [laughs] The people from Arkansas laughed about it, but then, my mother, I went over there and played it for them, they live over close to the southland of Arkansas, from ?Helm?, and she said "Oh, Billy, for God's sake" [laughs]

* probably, ringtails
** most versions comment on a 'lantern' jaw rather than ashen